System for supplying washing machine nozzles

ABSTRACT

A system for supplying washing machine nozzles consisting of a pump operable to deliver water through a conduit to a nozzle head with selectively usable nozzles having different flow restrictions, an aspirator pump disposed in the water conduit and operable by flow in the conduit to draw a liquid detergent from a reservoir through a detergent conduit and to intermix it with the water, a valve in the detergent conduit adjustable to open at or above an adjustably predetermined flow rate in the water conduit, and a by-pass conduit by-passing the aspirator pump in the water conduit and including a manually operable valve.

United States Patent [191 Tatge SYSTEM FOR SUPPLYING WASHING MACHINE NOZZLES [76] Inventor: Harlan H. Tatge, 118 N. Broadway,

Herington, Kans. 67449 [22] Filed: June 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 375,084

t [1 11 3,825,187 .1451 ,July 23, 1974 3,610,535 10/1971 Bradshaw 239/305 3,613,997 10/1971 Thompson 239/318X Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant ExaminerJohn J. Love Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John A. Hamilton 5 7 ABSTRACT A system for supplying washing machine nozzles consisting of a pump operable to deliver water through a conduit to a nozzle head with selectively usable nozzles having different flow restrictions, an aspirator pump disposed in the water conduit and operable by flow in the conduit to draw a liquid detergent from a reservoir through a detergent conduit and to intermix it with the water, a valve in the detergent conduit adjustable to open at or above an adjustably predetermined flow rate in the water conduit, and a by-pass conduit by-passing the aspirator pump in the water conduit and including a manually operable valve.

2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure SYSTEM FOR SUPPLYING WASHING MACHINE NOZZLES This invention relates to new and useful improvements in washing machines of the type in which water intermixed with detergent, or simply clear water, are ejected from a nozzle, the mixture of course being used for cleaning or scrubbing the object being washed, and the clear water for rinsing. Commonly, such machines include a nozzle head with a plurality of nozzles which may be used selectively for providing either sprays of different pressures or forces, or sprays or jets of different configurations for different washing applications. Low pressure, low velocity sprays are generally preferable for washing purposes, and high pressure, high velocity sprays for rinsing.

A principle object of the present invention is the provision of a system for supplying water and detergent to the nozzle head which will automatically introduce and intermix detergent with the water flow whenever a relatively low-velocity washing nozzle is placed in use, but

accomplished by introducing into the water conduit an aspirator pump operated by the water flow, and having a suction conduit connected to a detergent reservior, with a valve in the suction conduit which is normally biased yieldably to a closed position, but which may be set to open responsively to different flow rates in the water line. Low velocity nozzles represent a higher flow rate, so that the valve opens and detergent is introduced, while high-velocity nozzles represent a lower flow. rate, so that the valve closes and clear wateris delivered. The valve may be adjusted to open at any predetermined water flow rate.

Another object is the provision, in a system of the character described, of means for making still greater water pressure available at the nozzle when very high velocity rinsing is desired, by removing from the water line even the flow restriction and pressure drop caused by the presence of the aspirator pump therein. Generally, this object is accomplished by theprovision of a conduit by-passing the aspirator pump in the water line, and a manually operated closure valve in said by-pass conduit. When said closure valve is opened, full pressure is available at the nozzle, and since the flow rate at the aspirator pump will then be minimal, the detergent valve closes to prevent any possible back flow of water to the detergent reservoir.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of structure, and efficiency and dependability of operation.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein the single view is a diagrammatic layout of a system embodying the present invention for supplying washing and rinsing fluids to the nozzles of a washing machine.

In the drawing, the numeral 2 designates a pump, powered in any suitable manner, operable to receive water from any suitable source through a conduit 4, and-to deliver it through a conduit 6 to a tubular, rigid wand 8, the final portion of conduit 6 usually constituting a flexible hose 10 in order that the wand may be handled and positioned freely. Wand 8 is provided at its entry end with a closure valve 12, which may serve also as a handle, and which is operated by a plunger 14 which is engaged by a lever 16 pivoted at 18, so that the valve is opened whenever lever 16 is moved to depress the plunger. At its exit end, wand 8 is provided with a nozzle head 21 on which a nozzle turret is rotatably mounted. The turret carries a plurality of nozzles 24 which are adapted by rotation of the turret to be brought selectively into position to receive liquid from the wand, and to eject it as a spray or jet. The nozzles may be designed to eject sprays or jets of different configurations, or sprays or jets of different pressures and velocities. As previously noted, low velocity jets are generally preferred when the water is mixed with detergent for washing, and high-velocity jets are generally preferred for rinsing.

interposed in conduit 6 is an aspirator pump 26 in which the water passes through a passage 28 having a reduced restriction or neck 30, in the manner of a Venturi tube. A passage 32 connected laterally into neck opens into a cavity 34 of a transverse extension 36 of the valve body, the outer end of said extension having adjustably threaded therein a tubular plug 38. At its inner end, said plug forms a valve seat 40 against which a valve ball 42 is yieldably urged by a coil spring 44 compressed between said ball and the opposite end wall of cavity 34. The tension of said spring can be adjusted by turning plug 38 to advance or retract it in valve body extension 36, and can be fixed at any adjustment by means of a lock nut 46 threaded on the plug and abutting the extension. The outer end of plug 38 has connected thereto a conduit 48 extending into a reservoir 50 containing a liquid detergent 52. There is also provided a conduit 54 which by-passes aspirator pump 26 in conduit 6, and a valve 56 is interconnected in conduit 54. It will be understood that valve 56 may be opened and closed manually.

In the operation of the system, it will be understood that when pump 2 is set in operation to delivery water to any of nozzles 24, the water flow through passage 28 of aspirator pump 26 will result in a partial vacuum at neck 30 of the passage, in accordance with the well known Venturi principle, tending to draw detergent upwardly from reservoir 50 through conduit 48 and to intermix said detergent with the water, provided that the degree of suction or vacuum is sufficient to move valve ball 42 away from seat 40 against spring 44. The degree of suction provided depends on the flow velocity in neck 30, a greater velocity providing a greater suction, and the velocity in turn is proportional to the flow rate. If a nozzle 24 producing a low velocity jet is used, it has less flow restriction, and produces a higher flow rate at the aspirator, while a nozzle producing a high velocity jet has a greater flow restriction and produces a lower flow rate at the aspirator. For nearly any washing job, two selected nozzles will be used, one low-velocity for washing and one high-velocity for rinsing. It will therefore be apparent that if the tension of spring 44 is properly adjusted to permit opening movement of valve ball 42 at a flow rate intermediate the flow rates of the two selected nozzles, then detergent will be supplied automatically only when required, that is, when the low velocity nozzle is in use. This nozzle will'produce greater flow rate at the aspirator, causing it to produce enough suction to open the valve 42, while the high velocity nozzle will reduce the flow rate to allow valve 42 to be closed. The proper adjustment of spring 44 can be obtained, with respect to any two selected nozzles, by turning plug 38 as already described, and securing it with lock nut 46.

During the normal operation of the system as described above, by-pass valve 56 is closed. However, there are at least two conditions under which it is desirable to open said valve. First, it may sometimes be desired to provide a full-pressure rinse, utilizing the full pressure deliverable by pump 2. This is not possible with aspirator pump 26 directly in the flow line, since even though the nozzle 24 then in use will in effect provide a low flow rate in conduit 6, there will still be a pressure drop across the aspirator pump, the pressure represented by this drop not being available at the nozzle itself. With valve 56 open, the aspirator pump is substantially removed from the circuit, so there will be no pressure drop at the nozzle. There may indeed still be some flow through the aspirator, but it will be minimal, so that there will be no danger that valve ball 42 will open to admit detergent. Actually, substantially the full pump pressure will be forcing said valve ball closed, whereby to prevent any possibility of back-flow of water to the detergent reservoir. Second, it may sometimes be desired to provide a low pressure rinse, with clear water emerging from a nozzle 24 having a large aperture. Under these circumstances, if valve 56 were closed, the resulting high flow rate at pump 26 would open valve ball 42 and admit detergent to the flow. With valve 56 open, however, the flow at pump 26 will be so greatly reduced, as described above, that valve ball 42 will not open, and clear water will be delivered even through a low pressure nozzle. low flow While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invennon.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A washing machine system comprising:

a. a first conduit,

b. a powered pump operable to deliver water through said conduit,

c. a nozzle head at the delivery end of said conduit,

and including a series of selectively usable nozzles adapted to eject water at respectively different flow rates, a selected pair of said nozzles normally being used for a given washing job, one with a relatively high flow rate and correspondingly low velocity for washing, and one with a relatively low flow rate and correspondingly high velocity for rinsing,

d. an aspirator pump disposed in said conduit intermediate the powered pump and the nozzle head to induce a suction in a side passage interconnected with said conduit, at the normal flow rates of all of said nozzles,

e. a detergent reservoir,

f. a second conduit interconnecting said reservoir with the suction passage of said aspirator pump, g. a detergent valve interposed in said second conduit, and operable to be opened by suction induced by said aspirator pump, the degree of said suction being directly related to the flow rate in said first conduit,

h. resilient means biasing said detergent valve yieldably to a closed position and tensioned to maintain said detergent valve closed at all flow rates in said first conduit below a predetermined level, and to permit said detergent valve to open at all fiow rates in said first conduit above said predetermined flow rate, said predetermined flow rate in said first conduit being intermediate the flow rates provided by the respective nozzles of said selected pair of nozzles, and

i. means operable to adjust the tension of said resilient means, whereby said predetermined flow rate at which said detergent valve will open may be set intermediate the flow rates of any two of said nozzles.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 with the addition of:

a. a conduit by-passing said aspirator pump in said first conduit, and

b. a manually operable valve interposed in said bypass conduit. 

1. A washing machine system comprising: a. a first conduit, b. a powered pump operable to deliver water through said conduit, c. a nozzle head at the delivery end of said conduit, and including a series of selectively usable nozzles adapted to eject water at respectively different flow rates, a selected pair of said nozzles normally being used for a given washing job, one with a relatively high flow rate and correspondingly low velocity for washing, and one with a relatively low flow rate and correspondingly high velocity for rinsing, d. an aspirator pump disposed in said conduit intermediate the powered pump and the nozzle head to induce a suction in a side passage interconnected with said conduit, at the normal flow rates of all of said nozzles, e. a detergent reservoir, f. a second conduit interconnecting said reservoir with the suction passage of said aspirator pump, g. a detergent valve interposed in said second conduit, and operable to be opened by suction induced by said aspirator pump, the degree of said suction being directly related to the flow rate in said first conduit, h. resilient means biasing said detergent valve yieldably to a closed position and tensioned to maintain said detergent valve closed at all flow rates in said first conduit below a predetermined level, and to permit said detergent valve to open at all flow rates in said first conduit above said predetermined flow rate, said predetermined flow rate in said first conduit being intermediate the flow rates provided by the respective nozzles of said selected pair of nozzles, and i. means operable to adjust the tension of said resilient means, whereby said predetermined flow rate at which said detergent valve will open may be set intermediate the flow rates of any two of said nozzles.
 2. A system as recited in claiM 1 with the addition of: a. a conduit by-passing said aspirator pump in said first conduit, and b. a manually operable valve interposed in said by-pass conduit. 